At a press conference on June 1st in Ottawa, the provincial and federal governments launched the provincial program for Development Charges Reductions. The announcement outlined mechanisms for municipalities to reduce development charges (DCs) in Ontario while enabling continued investment in housing-supportive infrastructure through federal/provincial funding.

The Canada-Ontario Partnership to Build was announced on March 30 and allocated $8.8 billion to lower development charges in Ontario for 3 years , with the goal of reducing DCs by up to 30 to 50 percent in Ontario’s fastest growing municipalities. 

The announcement, attended by the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy, Provincial Minister of Finance, and the Honourable Rob Flack, Provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as well as Scott Andison, CEO of OHBA, provides clarity to municipalities about the application process for that funding, timelines and eligibility requirements.

Key details are as follows:

As of June 1, 2026, eligible municipalities can apply for funding through the Ontario-Canada Development Charges Reduction Program. The deadline to apply is June 19th, 2026. Timelines for the DCRP are intended to coincide with the enhanced HST rebate in order to maximize relief for home builders and home buyers.

Applications will be assessed based on:

• percentage of committed DC rate reduction (minimum 30-50 per cent reduction)
• number of homes projected to build as a result of proposed DC relief
• the municipality’s financial contribution

Housing-enabling projects would be prioritized with consideration for the number of homes enabled by the project. Municipalities are strongly encouraged to be as ambitious as possible in their DC rate reductions to secure the maximum funding for their communities.

For the details on municipal next steps, and the application criteria that they are required to follow, please click here: Development Charges Reduction Program | ontario.ca

A copy of OHBA and BILD's press release can be accessed here. 

To watch today’s announcement, please click here: 

Minister Flack Holds a Press Conference | June 1

MEMBER BRIEFING: OHBA and BILD are working with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to host a technical briefing for the membership , which is anticipated to take place in mid-June. Please watch for those details.